


Mid-youth crisis

by Menatiera



Series: Bingo Fills [21]
Category: Avengers Academy (Video Game), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - After College/University, Alternate Universe - College/University, At least I tried, Avengers Academy - Freeform, Comedy of Errors, F/M, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Misunderstandings, Moving In Together, Mutual Pining, No Angst, Pining, Roommates, but they're good bros, oh my god they were roommates, the friends are not helpful, winteriron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 21:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20378218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menatiera/pseuds/Menatiera
Summary: The Avengers Academy fic where the Academy closes its doors and Bucky has nowhere to go afterwards. Naturally, his friend (and secret crush) Tony is there to the rescue - what would be better than to move in together?It goes just as well as you expect it.A fic for Summer's gorgeous moodboard that you can findhere.





	Mid-youth crisis

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for Summer for the inspiring moodboard to begin with - without it I'd never even considered to write an AVAC fic. The full moodboard is [here](https://www.pillowfort.social/posts/809383), but the parts of it will be embedded in the fic chapters as well!
> 
> Huge thanks for Winnie to jump in last minute for betaing - you're a lifesaver as always!
> 
> **Bingo fills:** (for the whole of the fic, not necessarily the first chapter)  
Star Spangled Bingo - B3 - FwB to Lovers  
Tony Stark Bingo - R3 - Holiday fic  
Bucky Barnes Bingo - Y5 - Summer romance

“To prevent this universe from unraveling--” 

It seemed like an ordinary day at that point. 

“--Avengers Academy will close its doors.” 

And then it wasn’t an ordinary day anymore.

It took only six words for Bucky’s thoughts to collapse into chaos again.

Avengers Academy couldn’t close!

***

Tony and Bucky had been friends with benefits throughout last summer, both of them spending their time in the mostly empty Academy while the others had been with their families, loved ones, or just generally on vacation. They, however, couldn't leave.

Well, technically they left, multiple times, but you know, that wasn't really an official thing, more like a sneaking out using the Winter Soldier's expertise to dodge alarms and Iron Man's genius to disarm digital systems, so yeah, there was that, but generally… they were left to their own devices to entertain themselves. They were young, they were friends, they were horny. The ‘with benefits’ part was quite a natural progression of their friendship.

They went back to normal once the semester has started again, both of them too busy with their everyday activities to keep their fling alive.

That was, until Fury announced that it was the Academy's last year, and in February it'd close its gates for good. His speech included such bullshit like that the students were ready to move on with their lives, that they should step out into Real Life with capital letters or something.

Fair, most of the students had lives outside of these walls. But not Bucky and Tony.

Tony's parents were too busy to do more than acknowledge they even had a son, and deemed it the safest to hide Tony within these walls and gates so they wouldn't have to worry about random ransom demands if someone managed to kidnap the Stark heir. Bucky had never met them, but he hated Howard and Maria Stark with every fiber of his being. 

He hated the fond way Tony had talked about his mother, despite Bucky seeing how unworthy these people were to Tony's love. He hated how the crumbles of care and affection from Maria made Tony cling to her while most of the time she generally just ignored his son. He hated that Tony thought this was normal, and he thought it was what attention and care looked like. He hated how Howard never had the nerve to praise Tony face to face but gushed about his son’s brilliance behind his back. He hated the way Tony flinched when someone mentioned Howard Stark, like he expected the man to be summoned, like he expected a blow that never came here, but it was ingrained to his muscles to be vary and on edge where Howard was concerned.

He hated the thought that Tony might be locked up in their mansion now, and even if Tony had his bots and AIs to interact with, he'd be oh so lonely.

And Bucky hated that Tony did his best to hide the truth from everyone, including even himself, that he pretended all of this was normal. (Maybe it was normal with rich folks, but Bucky doubted. Janet came from the same circles yet she had no similar issues. Most of the time she didn't even notice Tony's struggles, because she never looked for the signs like Bucky did.)

Bucky cut through the crowd of students, their buzzing conversations confused and sad and excited at equal measure, and ignored them as best as he could. They were unimportant in these moments, just background noise compared to his mission to find his Mechanic. Some people still saw him as the Hydra Assassin, and they jumped away from his way, and for once Bucky was grateful for his dubious reputation.

Someone collided into him. "Bucky!"

He looked down and sure enough, it was Tony who (not literally, thank God) flew to his chest.

"Tony," Bucky breathed out in relief. At least Tony was here and safe - _ for now _. Bucky had no idea about the times ahead, though. His palm had found its usual place on Tony's cheeks, cradling his face with gentle care.

"Oh my God, Bucky, were will you go?"

Oh.

_ Oh. _

Bucky was too preoccupied with Tony to even think about that. While Tony's situation was complicated, at least he had a place to go. 

As opposed to Bucky. 

The last time Bucky had a home was sometimes before his Hydra Academy days, before the brainwashing and all that funny stuff happened. He had no family anymore, and the only people who he was close to were here in the Academy. Mainly Tony and Steve, of course, and then Nat and Clint and Janet and Rhodes to some extent, but mostly just Tony and Steve.

The fact that Tony was head over heels for Steve didn't make Bucky’s life any easier, of course, but Steve was lethally in love with Peggy, so the situation was complicated, but at least not unbearable.

And Bucky got to be the friend with benefits for Tony, and that was way better than nothing, right?

Because here was the fact: Bucky was also head over heels for someone, but contrary to popular belief that someone was Tony Stark.

Unrequited love sucked, but Bucky was used to his life being far from perfect, and Tony still was among the best things in it, so he made do with what he got.

"Bucky?"

Tony's worried voice dragged him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry," he answered on autopilot, his brain promptly in the rebooting process while Tony wrapped his arms around Bucky's waist and Bucky pulled him closer into a hug on instinct. He had to say something, to reassure Tony, but his mind blanked. 

He blinked a few times, until he remembered one of his lyrics. As usual, when he was normally speechless, the pre-written words helped him to get his voice under some control. "The future is full of terrors, but not as much as the past." He leaned down and pecked a little kiss on the top of Tony's head.

He loved how small the genius was compared to him, how perfectly Tony fit into his arms, how soft it made him feel when Tony effortlessly rested his head on his collarbone.

Bucky's heartbeat slowed down.

"Don't say that, Bucky bear. It's crap. Do you have a place to stay at all?"

Bucky thought about Steve and Peggy. They'd probably take him in. It promised to be quite miserable to be with the lovebirds that much, though - they were so disgustingly and happily in love that it made everyone throw up sugar and sparkles around them. Of course Bucky loved the fact that his friend was happy, and had been rooting for them from the beginning, but he preferred watching from a few steps of distance when they were together.

They clashed with his broody aesthetics.

But he had no other options.

He nodded, hesitant. "I have to ask Steve."

"Nonsense," Tony snapped. "Peggy and Steve are the epitome of a pair of unicorns kissing on a rainbow, so pure and lovely. Even when they kick your ass you see the little heart emojis floating around their heads. I wouldn't let you be subjected to that nonstop." Tony pulled away to look Bucky in the eyes, and Bucky reluctantly let him, already missing the warmth against his body. "You'll come with me."

Bucky choked on air. "What?!"

"I know, I'm a genius, but listen, it's perfect, so please just accept it and later, of course, after we're a bit more established as our own superheroes and not just Academy students, you can get your own place, but for now, I have like a dozen different real estates ready for me to move into any one of them, so you should help me choose one and also move in with me."

Bucky's head was spinning, and he knew he should say no. It was a very bad idea to not only spend all of his time with Tony, but _ move in _ with him, like a real couple or something. One that deserved capitalization as well for being a _ Really Bad Idea. _

He kept his infatuation as a secret in the Academy, but it would be so much harder to hide while _ living _together. In a mansion. Together.

But that meant that he'd be with Tony all the time, it meant that he didn't have to lose him at the end of the semester, it meant that he could be close to him, take care of him, and be taken care of in return. Not necessarily the same way they'd been last summer, but any closeness was better than nothing, and Bucky was used to be content with what he got.

"You're the ray of sunshine in my dark days," he said.

Tony beamed.

"I haven't heard that yet, maybe you could sing it to me when you come over the afternoon."

Bucky just hummed in agreement, distracted by coming up with the lyrics as they were speaking. There weren't many people who appreciated his hobby - coping mechanism - whatever his music was. Steve listened, of course, but he was more of a visual artist and couldn’t really do more, while the others were mostly annoyed if Bucky played the guitar for too long. Tony, on the other hand, Tony loved it and always asked for more.

"We have to pick a place, so be at the Tower at 5! I’ve refilled the cheese fridge again."

Before he slipped away, Tony lingered for maybe a moment longer than necessary, their fingers intertwined. But then he freed his hand and turned and ran away, bouncing excitedly as more often than not, and Bucky looked after him for a few more moments too.

They’ll have another holiday together, but this time it won’t be confined to a few weeks’ length.

He shook his head and headed to the Maverick dorm. He had plenty of time ‘till five, and he figured he should write some lyrics so he had a few replies when the rumours about him and Tony got loud enough to get back to him.

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, please leave a comment and kudos - I live off of them :)


End file.
